The present invention relates to a wire harness protector provided on a door opening and closing member of an automobile. Specifically, this wire harness protector is for double doors which open out from the rear of a vehicle main body. The wire harness protector reliably protects the wire harness when it moves with the doors and when these doors are opened out to greater than 90xc2x0.
A wire harness provided on a body of an automobile is attached to various types of electrical and electronic devices. A wire harness is provided on the rear door of an automobile to operate the tail lamp, the rear wiper, etc. This harness is provided with a protector within which the wire harness is housed, this protector moving with the door in order to protect the wire harness and to prevent it from becoming exposed in the vicinity of the door hinges, and thus pinched.
FIG. 11 of this specification shows a wire harness protector 1 described in JP 4-11751. This protector 1 is attached to rear double doors capable of opening out to approximately 90xc2x0. The protector 1 is attached in the vicinity of a hinge H of a door D, the interior of the wire harness protector 1 housing a wire harness W/H passing to the door D from the interior of a body S, the wire harness protector 1 thereby protecting the wire harness W/H.
As FIG. 12 shows, the prior wire harness protector 1 comprises a first fixed member 2 which fits to the door D and a second fixed member 3 which fits to a car body panel P. The first fixed member 2 has a cylindrical member 2a which is closed at the base, an outer fitting member 2b within the central portion of the cylindrical member 2a, and a duct member 2d protruding from the cylindrical member 2a approximately horizontally.
The second fixed member 3 has a cylindrical member 3a which is closed at the top, a tubular axle is 3b within the central portion of the cylindrical member 3a, and a duct member 3d protruding from the cylindrical member 3a approximately horizontally. An inner circumference face of the outer fitting member 2b of the first fixed member 2 is provided with a groove 2c and, as shown in FIG. 13, a central portion of an outer base face 2e of the cylindrical member 2a is provided with a concave recess 2fwhich has a second base face 2g. An outer circumference face of the tubular axle 3b is provided with a stopping protrusion 3c. 
To join the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member together, after housing the wire harness W/H, the stopping protrusion 3c of the axle 3b is positioned against the groove 2c of the outer fitting member 2b. Then the axle 3b is inserted into the outer fitting member 2b. As FIG. 13 shows, the stopping protrusion 3c is now in a position whereby it protrudes to the exterior from the second base face 2g of the concave recess 2f and therefore retains it, and an upper face of a circumference wall of the cylindrical member 2a and a lower face of a circumference wall of the cylindrical member 3a make contact.
In this state, the wire harness protector 1 is fixed to the car body panel P and the rear door D. When the door is opened or closed, the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member 3 rotate relatively, with the outer fitting member 2b and the tubular axle 3b serving as the centre.
However, during relative movement of the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member 3, the stopping protrusion 3c and the groove 2c reach the same position. At this juncture, there is the problem that the stopping protrusion 3c can enter the groove 2c as a result of vertical displacement, thereby preventing the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member 3 from rotating. There is the danger that, if rotation is forced in this state, the stopping protrusion 3c, the axle 3b, or another component may break, and the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member 3 may separate.
Furthermore, the upper face of the circumference wall of the cylindrical member 2a and the lower face of the circumference wall of the cylindrical member 3a make contact while the first fixed member 2 and the second fixed member 3 are moving relatively. The width of these contacting faces is rather thin and there is the problem that slippage occurs between these contacting faces due to displacement in a horizontal direction. When slippage between these contacting faces occurs, there is the problem that the inner face of one circumference wall chafes against the outer face of the other circumference wall. This either prevents rotation or creates a space between the circumference walls from which the wire harness might be caught and damaged.
Moreover, although the double doors D are capable of opening out to a range of 90xc2x0, some double doors for a variety of purposes, are capable of opening out to 270xc2x0. Consequently there is the problem that, since the wire harness protector 1 is designed for a door opening angle of approximately 90xc2x0, if it were to be used for a door opening out to 270xc2x0, interference would occur between the duct member 2d, the duct member 3d, etc., and movement would be impossible beyond approximately 90xc2x0
The present invention has taken the above problems into consideration, and aims firstly to present a wire harness protector suitable for doors opening out to 270xc2x0. Secondly, it aims to present a wire harness protector wherein a stopping member or contact faces of circumference walls will not prevent relative movement.
According to the invention, there is provided a wire harness protector for a wire harness extending between a body and a door, the door being adapted for pivoting movement through 270xc2x0, the protector comprising a first member adapted for fixing to a body, a second member adapted for fixing to a door, and an elongate member extending between the first and second members, the elongate member having opposite ends respectively pivoted to said first and second members, wherein the first and second members each include an upright cup having an upstanding axle member on the interior base thereof, and the elongate member has upturned cups at the ends thereof, each upturned cup having a depending axle member on the interior base thereof, said upstanding and depending axle members being mutually engageable to permit relative swivelling movement, and said upright and upturned cups being mutually engageable to define hollow chambers around said axle members whereby a wire harness can extend from said first member to said second member via said chambers and said elongate member.
Preferably, the axle members are tubular, and in a preferred embodiment they engage telescopically. In the latter case an inner axle member may have a slotted end, and radial protrusions at the top thereof for engagement over the exterior base of the cup of the exterior axle member. In this case, this slotted end is resilient, and preferably moulded of plastics material.
The upturned and upright cups may partially nest to define harness receiving chambers, respective circumferential walls preferably being relieved to bear upon one another. These circumferential walls preferably have the same diameter and wall thickness.
Each of the first, second and elongate members may define a channel linking said chambers, and for receiving a wire harness.